‘Brisbane Airport’ Brisbane’s newest suburb

19 August 2011

More than two decades after Brisbane Airport was established in its current location, the 2700 hectares which make up the airport precinct has been recognised in its own right with official confirmation the area will now be called the suburb of ‘Brisbane Airport’.

While there are no plans to develop Brisbane Airport into a typical residential suburb, the airport precinct is ‘home’ to over 360 business’ supported by more than 17,000 people who work on the airport each day, a figure that is expected to grow to 50,000 by 2029.

Brisbane Airport CEO and Managing Director, Julieanne Alroe, said the renaming from Eagle Farm to Brisbane Airport would provide clarity, consistency and a greater ‘sense of place’ for airport staff, stakeholders, tourists, visitors and suppliers.

“Despite the location being widely recognised as ‘Brisbane Airport’ since the opening of the site 20 years ago, there remained some inconsistencies and confusion around issues such as official locality guides, maps and postal related services.

“As such, Brisbane Airport warrants this formal recognition as an independent suburb, more importantly, as the airport community and tourism numbers grow, it will assist with navigation to the airport and further support our request for a post office on site to service this growing population.

“However, it goes without saying that the suburb of Eagle farm will always be a treasured and respected part of Brisbane Airport’s history.

We will ensure through information in the Brisbane Airport Experience Centre that Brisbane Airport’s Eagle Farm origins are not forgotten,” Ms Alroe said.

Brisbane Airport and Eagle Farm historical timeline:

1839 - Eagle Farm appeared as a name when it was used as land for a convict farm with the presence of wedge-tailed eagles

1925 - The 32-hectare site at Eagle Farm is officially chosen as an aerodrome.

1931 - Flight operations at Eagle Farm cease in 1931, with the site being considered too swampy.

1940s - Eagle Farm is re-commissioned as an aerodrome and US military base during WWII.

1946 - Eagle Farm re-opens as Brisbane Airport, using the sealed runways and infrastructure built by the Americans.

1969 – A 2,700 hectare site was set aside for a new Brisbane Airport.

1980 – Works officially begin to prepare the new Brisbane Airport site.

1988 – The new Brisbane Airport Domestic Terminal, new runway and control tower are opened.

1995 – The new International Terminal opens.

1997 - Brisbane Airport is purchased by Brisbane Airport Corporation (BAC) for $1.4 Billion and the land is leased from the Australian Federal Government on a 99-year lease.

2004 – BAC begins planning a major infrastructure upgrade, including a new road network, expansions to both the International and Domestic terminals, two new multilevel car parks, and a new parallel runway.

2009 – The new Moreton Drive road network, providing a second major access point to the Airport, is opened by Queensland Premier Anna Bligh.